Window frames



Sept. 10, 1968 Filed Sept. 29, 1965 S. C HART-STILL WINDOW FRAMES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I .k 5 0 ,6 4 7/5 94 lilOClQ Hrr- 1 l -l M I 7 W M r "la f In HM W H4; i lli! t H! w l NI 'H' I i 5 I'M M NH- a I Ml E g m {M r i NH l a Hi l r MiG- IO 9 55k Fla INVENTOR SYDNEY CHARLES HART- nu B Ad ATTORNEYS p 1968 s. c. HART-STILL 3,400,505

W INDOW FRAMES Filed Sept. 29, 1985 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

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\NVENTOR SYDN E'Y CHARLES ART-S'HLL BY Mm). buwk mud ATTORNEYS United States Patent ice 3,400,505 WINDOW FRAMES Sydney Charles Hart-Still, 79A St. Marks Road, Bush Hill Park, Enfield, Middlesex, England Filed Sept. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 491,207 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Oct. 6, 1964, 40,776/ 64 6 Claims. (Cl. 52-476) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A thermoplastic window frame, which may be injection molded, having two one piece members having pane retaining flanges, the first of which is formed with a pair of spaced upstanding circumferential walls defining a nonreentrant peripheral slot, the second of which seats on the free edges of the walls to seal off the slot, and clamping clips pivotally mounted in the slot.

A double-glazing window frame assembly includes a first generally planar frame member having an inwardly projecting flange and a pair of spaced-apart upstanding peripheral walls defining a slot therebetween, and a second generally planar frame member constructed to seat on the exposed edges of the upstanding peripheral walls to seal off the slot and to provide an inwardly directed flange. Preferably the frame members are fabricated from thermoplastics material.

The invention also includes a double-glazed window frame comprising operatively assembled first and second frame members as set forth above, two panes of glass located within the frame and separated from each other and from the flanges by peripheral resilient sealing members, and clamping means whereby the first and second frame members are releasably held together to retain the panes of glass and sealing members firmly in assembled relationship.

The clamping means conveniently comprises a plurality of resiliently biassed clips mounted at intervals around one of the frame members and a corresponding set of catch engaging members in the other of the frame members.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the component parts of a double-glazed window frame according to the invention shown in exploded form for the sake of clarity,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary transverse cross-section of a frame similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1 shown in assembled relation and including in section the preferred clamping means of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line III-III in FIG. 2, and,

FIG. 4 is an elevation of a portion of the second frame member of FIGS. 2 and 3, viewed along the direction of IV indicated in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, a double-glazing window frame constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises two generally planar frame members. In the embodiment shown, the front and rear frame members, 1, 2 respectively, are injection mouldings of thermoplastics material. The first or main, frame member 1 has an inwardly directed flange 3 for retention of the glazing assembly, and a pair of spaced-apart upstanding peripheral walls 4 and 5. The two walls define a peripheral slot 6, and the outer wall 5 is higher than the inner wall 4. Fittings such as hinges 7, are moulded integrally with the frame. The second frame member 2 has an outwardly extending peripheral flange 8 which, when the frame 2 is 3,400,505 Patented Sept. 10, 1968 assembled with the main frame, seats on the wall 4 and abuts the wall 5 thus sealing off the slot 6. A peripheral wall portion 9 of the frame member 2 in use makes a sliding fit within the wall 4 of the main frame, and carries an internally extending flange 10 for retention of the glazing assembly.

Both the flange 3 and the flange 10 are provided with a peripheral cavity, 3a, 100, respectively to accommodate peripheral resilient rubber sealing gaskets 11 and 12. When the window is assembled, the two panes of glass 13, 14 are separated from the flanges 3 and 10 by the gaskets 11 and 12 respectively, and from each other by a further peripheral resilient rubber gasket 15. The panes 13 and 14 are inserted into the main frame in the order shown and described, and the second frame member 2 is then placed in position in the frame member 1 and secured to the latter by suitable clamping means.

The cavity 6, in addition to saving weight, adding strength and providing additional thermal insulation, may also be used as a housing for the clamping means, one form of which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

Basically the fastening means consists of a number of spring loaded catches pivotally mounted in the cavity 6 at spaced intervals around the frame member 1, which engage in corresponding apertures in the frame member 2. Each catch consists of an approximately L-shaped member 16, which is pivotally mounted between the walls 4 and 5 by interengaging complementarily screw threaded elements 17, 18 which have countersink heads engaging in conical bores in the walls 4, 5 respectively. The spindle formed by the members 17 and 18 passes through a bore 19, through the free end of the shank of the member 16, and the foot portion of the latter in use engages with the frame member 2. A leaf spring 20, having a bight 21 to aid its flexibility, is secured to the base of the cavity 6 by two self-tapping screws 22 and bears against the flat end of the shank of the member 16 when the latter is in its operative position.

In order that the foot of the member 16 may lie flush with the surface of the frame member 2, the apertures in the latter are recessed. The frame member 2 illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 is moulded with a number of sunken portions 23 each of which includes a web portion 24 adjacent which is a slot 25. The depth to which the web 24 is recessed below the main surface corresponds to the thickness of the foot portion of the member 16. The positions taken up by the member 16 are most clearly shown in FIG. 3. During use, the member 16 is held in position shown in full lines in FIG. 3, by means of the leaf spring 20. To fit the two frame members together after assembling the panes and gaskets in the main frame member 2, each of the members 16 is depressed into the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 3. This position is stable since the corner of member 16 contacting the spring 20 has travelled to an overcentre position relative to the spring, while the bight 21 acts as a stop to prevent excessive downward movement of the member 16. When all the members 16 have been depressed, the frame member 2 is located in position and the members 16 are pivoted into gripping engagement with the corresponding webs 24. The assembly of panes and gaskets are then held securely in the frame, the relative dimensions of the component parts being such that the gaskets are held in compression to provide an air, dust and moisture seal between the frame members 1, 2 and the panes 13, 14. If at any time it becomes necessary to dismantle the window for cleaning or replacement of one or both panes the members 16 may be depressed simply by the application of pressure on the angled face 16a, into the lower position.

It will be noted that by making the overall dimensions of the panes less than the dimensions of the area bounded Rigid polyvinyl- Polyaectal chloride Specific gravity 1. 410-1. 425 1. 38-1. 40 Tensile strength (at 23 C.) (lbs/sq. 111.)- 8, 800-10, 000 8, 500-9, 000 Elongation (at 23 0.) percent 15-60 -40 Flexural yield strength (lbs/sq. in.) 13, 000-14, 000 13, 500

Flexural modulus (at 23 C.) (lbs/sq.

in.) 375, 000-400, 000 350, 000 Compressive strength (lbs/sq. in.) 4, 500-5, 000 8, 000-8, 500 Water absorption (at 23 0. equilibrium 50% R.H.), percent 0.16-0.20 0.05-0.08 Heat distortion temp. (at 06 lbs /sq in.)

C 170 74 Deformation under load (2,000 lb sq.

in. at 50 0.) percent 0. 5-1.0

A suitable acetal copolymer is that marketed by Imperial Chemicals Industries under the registered trademark Alkon." A suitable vinyl polymer is that marketed by Bakelite Limited under the registered trademark Vybak.

Windows as illustrated have the following advantageous properties:

1) They can be produced by injection moulding as finished one piece components, and require no further fabrication in the nature of a major assembly operation.

(2) They are of greater dimensional accuracy than can be produced by fabricating by normal production methodsf rom wood, steel or aluminium alloy.

(3) They require no additional protective treatment either initially or in later use.

(4) They may incorporate double glazing as standard practice and can be easily dismantled to replace broken glass, renew moisture absorbing material (if found to be required) or internal cleaning.

(5) They are dry-glazed, i.e., do not require putty.

Although the specific embodiment described above is a double glazed unit, it is also possible to use window frames according to the invention for single glazing purposes.

Iclaim:

1. A window frame assembly comprising in combination:

(a) a first one-piece injection folded frame member made of thermoplastic material and having a continuous glass retaining flange extending inwardly of said first frame in a direction parallel to the plane of the latter, and a pair of spaced-apart peripheral walls upstanding perpendicular to the plane of the frame and defining therebetween a transversely unobstructed slot having an open end, and

(b) a corresponding second one-piece injectionmolded frame member made of thermoplastic material having a continuous flange portion extending inwardly of said second frame in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the latter,

said second frame member being retained in superposed abutting relation on the upstanding walls of said first frame member thereby sealing off said slot and providing by the cooperation of its continuous flange portion a second glass retaining flange which cooperates with said continuous glass retaining flange of said first frame member to retain glass panes within the frame assembly, and

(c) fastening means positioned in said slot and cooperating means on said second frame member,

positioned to be engaged by said fastening means to hold said second frame member in said superimposed abutting relation.

2. The window frame of claim 1, wherein said glass retaining flanges of said first and second frame members have internally extending flanges to accommodate and retain resilient rubber sealing gaskets.

3. A window frame assembly comprising in combination:

(a) A first one piece injection molded frame member made of thermoplastic material and having a continuous glass retaining flange extending inwardly of said first frame in a direction parallel to the plane of the latter, and a pair of spaced-apart peripheral walls upstanding perpendicular to the plane of the frame and defining therebetween a transversely unobstructed slot having an open end, and

(b) a corresponding second one-piece injection molded frame member made of thermoplastic material having a continuous flange portion extending inwardly of said second frame in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the latter.

said second frame member being retained in superposed abutting relation on the upstanding walls of said first frame member thereby sealing off said slot and providing by the cooperation of its continuous flange portion a second glass retaining flange which cooperates with said continuous glass retaining flange of said first frame member to retain glass panes within the frame assembly, and said assembly being provided with clamping means comprising a plurality of resiliently biased clips located at intervals around the perimeter of said assembly, each clip being pivotally mounted on a corresponding pivot fixed between said spaced-apart peripheral walls to extend transversely across said slot defined therebetween and a corresponding set of clipengaging members in said second frame member.

4. The window frame assembly of claim 3 in which each of said resiliently biased clips is of approximately L shape, and the foot of the L engages in a corresponding recessed aperture in the second frame member to lie flush with the surface of the latter.

5. The window frame assembly of claim 4 in which each clip is provided with resilient bias means in the form of a leaf spring secured to the base of the slot and adapted also to hold the clip in a disengaged position during an assembly operation on the component parts of the frame.

6. A thermoplastic window frame assembly comprising in combination (a) a first one-piece injection-molded frame member having a continuous glass-retaining flange extending inwardly of said first frame in a direction parallel to the plane of the latter, and a pair of spaced-apart peripheral walls upstanding perpendicular to the plane of the frame and defining therebetween a transversely unobstructed slot having an open end lying in a plane transverse to that of said frame, and

(b) a corresponding second one-piece injectionmolded frame member having a continuous flange portion extending inwardly of said second frame in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the latter,

said second frame member being retained in superposed abutting relation on the upstanding walls of said first frame member thereby sealing off said slot and providing by the cooperation of its continuous flange portion with said continuous flange of said first frame member a pane-retaining construction, the assembly being provided with a clamping means comprising a plurality of resiliently biased clips located at intervals around the perimeter of said assembly, each clip being of approximately L shape and pivotally mounted on a corresponding pivot fixed between said spaced-apart peripheral walls of said first frame member to extend transversely across said slot defined therebetween the foot of the L engaging in a corresponding recessed aperture in said second frame member to lie flush with the surface of the latter.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS l/ 1934 France.

KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner. 

